Like the first edition, the second edition of the "Encyclopedia of Stress" covers nearly every conceivable aspect and ramification of stress including a wide range of related topics such as neuroimmune interactions, cytokines, enzymatic disorders, effects on the cardiovascular system, immunity and inflammation, and physical illnesses. Over the last decade, scientists have presented convincing research showing that psychological stress increases vulnerability to disease. They now understand more clearly that stress may be the thread tying together illnesses that were previously believed to be unrelated. Bone loss, increased abdominal fat, and damaged memory cells in the hippocampus have been linked to elevated cortisol levels.Building on the success of the first edition, this completely revised work surveys the vast amount of research generated in the past five years, resulting in a substantial revision with over 30 per cent new material and over 100 new entries. Expanded sections include Animal Studies, Anxiety and Depression, Drugs, Depression, Disasters, and Psychological and Other Therapies.Also available online via ScienceDirect (2007) featuring extensive browsing, searching, and internal cross-referencing between articles in the work, plus dynamic linking to journal articles and abstract databases, making navigation flexible and easy. This work is timely updated on the topic of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder taking into account events such as terrorism and middle east wars. It includes expanded coverage on anxiety and depression. It incorporates entries on the advances in our knowledge of immunology, cytokines and cell mediated immunity involved in stress responses and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Type I diabetes.